About Us

The Division of Transplantation (DoT) is within the Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration's Healthcare Systems Bureau. DoT is the primary federal entity responsible for oversight of the organ and blood stem cell transplant systems in the U.S. and for initiatives to increase organ donor registration and donation in this country. The Division is comprised of three branches, each devoted to a specific program responsibility.

Legislation and Policy

The field of organ and tissue donation and transplantation is one of the most regulated areas of health care today. Both state and federal legislation has been put in place to provide the safest and most equitable system for allocation, distribution, and transplantation of donated organs.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is the federal agency with responsibility for oversight of the transplant system in the United States.

Grants Programs and Research Reports

The Division has sponsored several grant programs with the ultimate goal of increasing the number of organs available for transplant. Projects focus on outreach campaigns to increase donor registration and knowledge of living donation, and, clinical interventions to improve donor management to maximize organs per donor. Identifying successful and replicable practices is an aim of all grant programs.

Also included here are grant project descriptions, and a list of publications resulting from the grant programs, and other research reports.

Public and Professional Outreach

In compliance with National Organ Transplant Act as amended, the Division conducts a multi-pronged public awareness program to increase the number of donor registrations in the U.S. and ultimately organs available for transplantation. The program consists of the development and dissemination of materials such as downloadable brochures; radio, print and TV PSAs; web materials and videos (including an EMMY™ Award winning documentary); outreach through social media; special-focus national initiatives such as those involving hospitals and workplaces; and other efforts targeting special populations.

Donation and Transplantation Community of Practice (DTCP)

Between 2003 and 2008, HRSA/DoT conducted a series of Breakthrough Collaboratives promoting rapid increases in the number of donor organs available for transplantation through a series of frequent and intense sharing and learning experiences to exchange proven best practices. This initiative evolved into the Donation and Transplantation Community of Practice (DTCP), the goal of which was to systematically sustain and improve upon the Collaborative gains utilizing community-driven task forces, meetings, and webinars for healthcare professionals involved in organ donation transplantation. In 2015, responsibilities for the Community of Practice were assumed by The Alliance, a private sector donation/transplantation organization.

Advisory Council on Blood Stem Cell Transplantation
The Advisory Council on Blood Stem Cell Transplantation (ACBSCT) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) advises the Secretary of the HHS and the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) on the activities of the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program (Program) and the National Cord Blood Inventory (NCBI) Program.